DRAFT Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021 - Burrell ...
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Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
Burrell School District
DRAFT Proposed Health
and Safety Plan 2020-2021
A Message from the Superintendent
Dear BSD Families,
The COVID-19 experience has been a tremendous challenge for every family, business, and community.
Every one of us has experienced our own craziness during this time. As we continue to journey through our
circumstances, the District is focused on providing a high quality educational experience for our learners.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has required that every school district in the Common-
wealth develop a Health and Safety Plan for reopening schools in the fall of 2020. PDE has also provided
guidance for reopening schools along with many other entities like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),
the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Department of Health (DOH). As required by PDE, a
pandemic committee consisting of administration, board members, parents and employees, was estab-
lished to review the proposed Health and Safety Plan and provide feedback prior to board approval. This
collaboration has allowed for a comprehensive review of the proposed reopening plan based on medical
expertise, community representation and the needs and realities of school functions. With the support of
everyone involved, we believe a safe and healthy environment can be provided for students whose families
are comfortable allowing them to return to the school setting. The American Academy of Pediatrics
“strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of hav-
ing students physically present in school.”1 Likewise, the Center for Disease Control2 released updated guid-
ance on July 25 supporting the reopening of schools citing the low risk to students and the social, emotion-
al, and academic benefits of being in school. As we plan for the health and safety of our students, we
strongly believe that social interaction and in-person instruction are essential to our students’ social emo-
tional well-being, as well as their academic growth.DRAFT Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
Superintendent’s Message Continued
In addition, we recognize that our remote learning this spring was our best attempt to quickly transition to
the stay at home requirement we faced for the last nine weeks of the school year; however, it is not an
adequate solution to ensure learning throughout an entire school year. Thus, the academic options for
the 2020-2021 school year will include a face to face virtual option that allows students to participate sim-
ultaneously with their in-class peers while staying in their homes. Over the past couple months, our plan-
ning for 2020-2021 has focused on providing high quality educational options for our students while re-
specting the concerns families may have in regard to COVID-19.
Once approved, the District will follow this academic plan regardless of which phase Pennsylvania may be
in. Should the state declare the red phase with a stay at home order, all students will participate virtually
from their homes. In the yellow and green phase, the District will remain open to families who choose to
send their students to our school buildings and provide virtual options for those who do not.
In early August, families will receive a survey to help the District finalize plans for the fall. This survey will
assist the District in the numbers of students returning to school and those choosing virtual instruction
from the home. Each nine week period, the District will ask families if they intend to continue in their cur-
rent option or if they plan to switch. Note that due to the synchronous nature of Options A and B, families
will be able to move fluidly between the two as long as there is good communication between home and
school.
We look forward to a wonderful school year. Thank you for your patience as we finalize our plans for the
fall.
Sincerely,
Dr. Shannon L. Wagner
Superintendent
1
COVID Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry, American Academy of Pediatrics. aap.org, 6/25/2020
2
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/reopening-schools.html
Page 2Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
Academic Approach 2020-2021
Option A: Face to Face instruction in our school buildings. Google classroom will be used for all
assignments and assessments.
Option B: Virtual instruction that is synchronous for the students regardless of location. Students at
home will participate via Google Meet with their in school peers during each scheduled period or class
time. Students will also work independently at times. Google Classroom for virtual participation and all
assignments and assessments.
Option C: Burrell eAcademy provides a flexible online learning option for families who cannot participate
in live instruction. eAcademy is not a cyber-school. Rather, it is a consortium of engaging courses
provided through the WIU. Students remain enrolled in Burrell School District and experience all of the
benefits and services that our district has to offer.
*Due to the synchronous nature of Options A and B, families will be able to move fluidly between the two
as long as there is good communication between home and school.
*The District has ordered a Chromebook for each student. Due to limited supplies worldwide, the District
may not receive all the Chromebooks ordered prior to the start of the school year. Families who can
provide technology are asked to consider providing a Chromebook/laptop for their child until our
technology arrives.
Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
The next few pages provide an overview of our proposed Health and Safety Plan. This plan is meant to
provide a safe and healthy environment for students who enter our buildings during the 2020-2021
school year. The plan components are:
Monitoring Student and Staff Health, Hygiene Focus, Personal Protective Equipment and Social
Distancing, Facilities, Cleaning, Sanitizing and Ventilation, Transportation, Cafeteria,
Arts and Humanities, and Extra Curricular Activities and Sports
Page 3DRAFT Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
Monitoring Student and Staff Health
Lead Person: Health Services Department Chair
*Parents will screen their children each morning using the Department of Health Screening Tool.
Employees will screen themselves. Both will complete a google form to assure school officials
that student and staff health is monitored. Data will be reviewed by School Nurses.
*Students or staff displaying symptoms that meet the stay home criteria must stay home.
*The threshold for keeping children home from school is lower than in previous years. Students
staying home for symptoms and can still participate in class may do so virtually and be counted
as present. Students staying home and not participating virtually will be counted as absent.
The schools will monitor absenteeism and adapt attendance policies as needed to ensure per-
sonal and public health is the clear priority.
*Parents should communicate directly with the school nurse via email of any changing medical con-
ditions. Staff members are also encouraged to communicate with the school nurse.
*Local health departments will notify the school immediately upon learning that a person with a
confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was present at the school or a school event while in-
fectious. Local health department staff will assist the school with risk assessment, isolation and
quarantine recommendations and other infection control recommendations. The District is re-
quired to and will take every measure to maintain the confidentiality of the individual. The Dis-
trict will contact the local health department for guidance if a family notifies the school of po-
tential exposure by a student, staff member or visitor.
Page 4Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
Hygiene Focus
Lead Person: Health Services Department Chair
*Students and staff will be trained on preventative measures for infectious disease control. Train-
ing will include proper handwashing, coughing/sneezing into the elbow followed by proper
cleaning/washing, social distancing to the greatest extent possible, no touching one’s face or
others, limit sharing of equipment/materials, proper use of PPE (mask, etc.), etc.
*Students in grades 4-12 will be trained to clean their work space before sitting down.
Personal Protective Equipment and Social Distancing
Lead Person: Superintendent /Student Services Director
*The District will follow all the recommendations of the Public Health Guidance Regarding COVID-
19 for Phased Reopening of Pre-K to 12 Schools https://www.education.pa.gov/Schools/
safeschools/emergencyplanning/COVID-19/SchoolReopeningGuidance/ReopeningPreKto12/
PublicHealthGuidance
*Students are required to wear a face covering unless they have a medical or mental health con-
dition or disability, documented in accordance with Section 504 or the Rehabilitation Act or
IDEA that precludes the wearing of a face covering in school. Accommodations for such stu-
dents should be made in partnership with the student’s health care provided, school nurse
and IEP/504 team.
*The District will require the use of face coverings when social distancing measures cannot be
met. In instructional areas that provide social distancing, students will be permitted to take
mask breaks.
*Students, parents and staff need to be mindful and respectful of the health and safety of all indi-
viduals. Adhering to the guidelines within this plan will help minimize risk of exposure to
COVID-19.
*Traffic flow in hallways and stairwells will be directional as feasible. Teachers will move instead
of students when feasible.
*Visitor access to buildings will be restricted.
Page 5DRAFT Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
Facilities, Cleaning, Sanitizing and Ventilation
Lead Person: Facilities Director
*Facilities staff will be retrained in proper cleaning, disinfection and sanitization practices in August.
*Target-Reducing number of high touch areas
-When able, prop doors open to prevent touching handles and doorknobs.
-Close drinking fountains. Replace at least three in each building with one touch water
bottle filling fountains.
-Touch free paper towel dispensers.
*Target-Focused efforts on daily sanitizing
-Custodial staff will disinfect all high touch areas at least three times daily.
-Each staff member will have access to a bottle of disinfectant/wipes to clean high touch
areas in the classroom as needed.
-Restroom high touch areas will be sanitized at least three times daily.
-Lunch tables will be sanitized between student groups.
-Schools will be sanitized each evening with a focus on high touch surfaces.
*Hand sanitizer is located in cafeteria and hallways. Additional stations are being added to instruc-
tional hallways. Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom.
*Students will be required to wash their hands with soap and water at least two times daily in addi-
tion to the use of hand sanitizer each period.
*Student desks will be cleaned when used by different groups or cohorts of students.
*Signs will be posted in halls, classrooms, and highly visible areas to reinforce measures to stop the
spread of COVID-19 such as hand washing, coughing into your elbow, etc.
*Fans in classrooms will be used to pull fresh air into the room. Heating and
cooling systems are adjusted to bring in as much fresh air as is feasible.
Page 6Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
Transportation
Lead Person: Superintendent/Stewart Elementary Principal
*Students will wear masks while entering, riding and exiting all school-provided transportation.
*Students will board buses by moving to the rear of the bus and taking the next available space to
minimize contact. Siblings will sit together. No more than two students per seat.
*Students will exit the buses front to back to minimize contact.
*Student start and end times may be modified to allow for staggered arrival and dismissal.
*Buses will be disinfected daily per W.L. Roenigk’s cleaning and sanitizing plan.
Cafeteria
Lead Person: Building Principal/Food Service Director
*Cafeteria will include increased seating and the use of additional areas to allow social dis-
tancing to the greatest extent possible.
*Menus will be available on a weekly basis.
*In cafeterias, all food will be served by staff. Students will not be permitted to serve them-
selves. In some cases, students will preorder.
*Elementary recess will occur at different times and in smaller groups.
Page 7DRAFT Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021
Arts and Humanities
Lead Person: Superintendent/Building Principal
*No choir for the first nine weeks for grades 4 and 5.
*No full band for grades 4 and 5. Individual lessons for 5th grade only will be outside, weather
permitting.
*Choir and Band at the secondary level will focus on music theory. Students will receive the mu-
sic to practice in their homes as appropriate. Instrumental lessons outside, weather per-
mitting. No lessons will occur inside the building during the first nine weeks. We will review
and adjust as new guidance from PDE is shared.
*Elementary specialists will travel to the classrooms.
Extra Curricular Activities and Sports
Lead Person: Athletic Director and Building Principal
*Extra curricular activities may be offered as long as PDE guidelines are strictly followed.
*During the Yellow and Green phases of reopening, sports-related activities at the PK-12 level are
limited to student athletes, coaches, officials, and staff only. All sports-related gatherings must con-
form with the gathering limitations set forth by the Governor’s Plan for Phased Reopening (25 in yel-
low, 250 outdoors and 25 indoors in green), and the facility as a whole may not exceed 50% of total
occupancy otherwise permitted by law. The addition of visitors and spectators will be contingent
upon future health conditions within the state and local communities. 3
*During a Red phase, sports and activities are not permitted.
*All Volleyball, Soccer and Football Varsity events will be streamed in the fall of 2020.
*Students will clean their equipment and wear clean practice clothes daily.
*Students must be practice social distancing to the greatest extent possible in contests and games.
On the sidelines, students must wear masks unless outside and they can social distance.
Page 8Proposed Health and Safety Plan 2020-2021 *During athletic practices, shifts of 10 students will use the locker room at a time. Nothing will be left in the locker room. CLASSIFICATION OF SPORT High Risk: Sports that involve close, sustained contact between participants, lack of significant protec- tive barriers, and high probability that respiratory particles will be transmitted between participants. Examples: football, wrestling, cheerleading (stunts), dance Moderate Risk: Sports that involve close, sustained contact, but with protective equipment in place that may reduce the likelihood of respiratory particle transmission between participants OR intermittent close contact OR group sports that use equipment that can’t be cleaned between participants. Examples: basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, ice hockey, tennis, pole vault, high jump, long jump, 7 on 7 football Low Risk: Sports that can be done with social distancing or individually with no sharing of equipment or the ability to clean the equipment between use by competitors. Examples: running events, cross country, throwing events, swimming, golf, weightlifting, sideline cheer Page 9
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